Detachable carrier arrangements have been provided in the past for shopping carts, particularly grocery shopping carts where it is desirable to obtain either additional carrying space along the cart, or to provide support for carrying an infant or small child. Such carriers have met with difficulties both in mounting to the shopping carts, and in safety features.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,807 to Wilkinson et at. shows a baby seat attachment device for hooking engagement with a shopping cart or similar vehicle. Connecting hook arm members are provided at an upper edge or boundary of the carrier for connection to the front end of a shopping cart. The device also includes a leveling arrangement extending below the cart engaging hooks, but provides no lower hook connecting members to secure the carrier to the shopping cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,775 to Goldman discloses a child seat for store service carriers that closely resembles existing forms of inboard child carriers provided on many current grocery cart configurations. However, the Goldman apparatus is an attachment, with hooks at the upward or top end of the attachment frame. The lower or bottom portions of the carrier are not provided with hooks for attachment to the cart structure, but simply include downwardly projecting leg members that are pressed against the cart frame by the cantilevered weight of the child in the carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,380 to Sprague discloses an infant carrier for use with shopping carts in which the carrier structure is mounted between the handle of the shopping cart and a brace member on the bottom side of the formed carrier structure. This entire unit projects above the top opening of the shopping cart, and above the handle. The Sprague carrier also includes pairs of substantially "U" shaped clips having elastomeric coverings for securing the members at ends of brace arms to secure the brace in place on a shopping cart. However, it does not appear that the connecting structure would be useful for securing the carrier at any location other than substantially overlying the cart opening and in the vicinity of the push handle for the cart. The downwardly open configuration of the "U" shaped clips would not permit another orientation for the carrier, nor could the carrier configuration itself be otherwise oriented on the cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,726 to Brottman discloses a shopping cart in which a child seat is situated on a rearward portion of the support assembly between the load receptacle and a wheeled base. The child support is also situated below the push cart handles, thereby locating the child for easy access and for safety during use of the cart. However, the child seat appears to be permanently attached to the cart frame.
A handle mounted baby seat is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,151 to Sides. This patent discloses a folding frame for an infant seat with a hooked portion that is pivoted to the cart handle, and a remaining frame portion secured to the top horizontal member of the cart basket. A spring actuated linkage arrangement is provided on the lower catch member to releasably secure the seat in its operative condition. The seat elevates the child or infant above the level of the push handle for the cart.
Of the above references, none disclose a detachable carrier for shopping carts which may be releasably attached to a shopping cart below the push bar and along the rearward wall of the basket by secure, locking attachment features that connect both the top and the bottom portions of the detachable carrier to the cart. A need for such a carrier exists, with features such as those exemplified above to maximize safety and operation of the device and convenience to the user.